Basikneads Catering » chef cornell’s blog

Umm, Octoberfest!

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:02:51 +0000

Without a doubt one of my favorite times of the year, the smell of grilled sausages, strong mustards, & hearty beer always invoke fond memories of tailgating, LSU/Saints football, & much cooler weather. Most importantly however, is the yearly celebration of Octoberfest. If you are going to prepare your own Oktoberfest meal this year, you should treat your guests to traditional Sauerbraten. Serve it with egg noodles (or even spaetzel) and braised red cabbage with apples and your guests are sure to be impressed.

Sauerbraten

Makes 12-15 Servings

ingredients

6 pound rump of beef or rolled boned chuck

1 1/2 cups of red wine vinegar

1/2 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups water

1 bay leaf

5 peppercorns

3 whole cloves

2 tablespoons salt

2 onions, sliced

4 tablespoons shortening or oil

5 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup crushed gingersnaps

preparation

It is best to have the meat in one solid piece, but if it is boned and rolled, make sure it has no added covering of suet. Combine the vinegar, wine, water and seasonings, pour this mixture over the meat. Add the sliced onions. Keep meat in the refrigerator, covered with marinade, for 1-3 days, turning occasionally. (Purists say it should be 3 days; I find 1 day sufficient.) Remove meat from marinade, wipe dry with paper towels and brown in the shortening over high heat, sprinkling with 1 tablespoon flour. Strain and add marinade, cover, lower heat and cook gently for 4-5 hours, until fork-tender. Remove meat and keep in warm place. Pour off the stock. In the same kettle, melt the butter, add the remaining flour and the sugar, stirring until smooth and browned. Slowly add the stock, cooking until smooth and thickened. Add the crushed gingersnaps, and cook until dissolved. Replace meat in the sauce and cook 1/2 hour longer. Meanwhile, cook noodles to serve with the sauerbraten. This dish tastes better the second day.

Butter Poached Prime Rib

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:12:32 +0000

So I recently experimented with a butter poached prime rib for one of my Au Dela clients. Wow you want to talk about over the top. I used the injector to insert herbs, spices, salt, & garlic. Then I melted 7 pounds of butter in a roasting pan along with a little extra olive oil to cover. Then I essentially confit the prime rib at 200 degrees until the internal temperature came to 135. I will try and post a recipe soon.

Japanese Soba Noodles

admin — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 01:31:53 +0000

Japanese Soba Noodles are one of my all time favorites. This traditional Japanese dish will have your guests raving and be a family favorite for years to come!

Now for a little background, Soba is a thin Japanese noodle made out of buckwheat flour and is a popular dish that can be served either hot or cold. Soba noodles have been a traditional meal on New Years Eve in Japan and this ritual is still carried out to this day. In Japan it is consider polite to audibly slurp noodles as you are enjoying them, so break out those chopsticks and slurp away!

Try this easy and delicious recipe.

Japanese Soba Noodle Salad
Serves: 4
Average Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
* 1 (8 ounce) package soba noodles
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup carrot, julienned
* 1/2 cup red bell pepper, julienned
* 1 cup edamame (japanese soy bean)
* 2 cups broccoli, blanched
* 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
* 3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 2 cloves sliced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce (found at most Asian markets)
* 3 tablespoons canola oil

Basikneads Purchase

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:47:44 +0000

I can’t believe I purchased Basikneads! As many of my previous clients know, I have a private chef company called Au Dela. It specializes in really high end, & highly customized dining experiences. I was actually looking to expand that business, when the opportunity to buy this one came along. Now for an interesting tidbit of information, me & my wife were actually clients of Basikneads, just a few years ago. I think that because of this, I really feel a connection to this company & to the potential that I see I it. It has a solid core with some people who really care about making sure that the customers of Basikneads have great food and great service! I am really excited to now be a part of this company, and to have the chance to shepherd it.